Grenache
by SillyGilly2713
Summary: After hitting rock bottom in an abusive relationship, Bella meets Edward after suffering a devastating blow. Can he help her? Will she even let him? Warning: Some chapters might contain triggers, please read with caution.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Bella waved goodbye to Billy from the cab of her beat-up truck. She couldn't wait to get home and wash the night offher. After a ten-hour shift, she smelled of stale beer and cigarettes.

Bella pulled down her gravel driveway and noticed the trailer was lit up like a Christmas tree. She was immediately on alert. James was supposed to be at Mike's, not at home. Her heart beat against her chest, and the butterflies in her stomach rolled.

As she put the truck in park, she steeled herself for the fight that was inevitably about to come. It had to be bad to leave Mike's. James never left Mike's before dawn, and the alcohol was long gone. The front door swung open and the man she loved to hate appeared; his eyes filled with rage.

For a brief moment, Bella considered getting back in the truck and driving as far away as she could. Hindsight being what it is, she wished she had.

Bella clutched her large purse to her chest as she slowly made her way onto the dilapidated porch that James had been threatening to fix ever since he moved in a year ago. As she reached the bottom step, she dared a glance at her boyfriend. The sneer on his face made her even more nervous.

"Could you walk any slower Bella? Get in the damn house." James growled at her from just inside the door.

As she crossed the threshold, she heard the squeak of the door closing and jumped before she heard the slam. She was immediately overcome with the stench of whiskey and sweat.

"Baby, I thought you were going to be at Mike's tonight; you usually stay there," Bella said meekly as she turned to face him.

"Baby? What's this baby shit? Ya know I always trusted you, Bella, even after Mike told me what a slut you were in high school." James' voice was too calm. She didn't know what to do with calm.

"What are you talking about?" Bella asked as she sat her purse on the cracked counter top of the dated kitchen.

"What am I talking about?" He yelled. "Don't play dumb. You're a lot of things Bella, but a dumb bitch isn't one of them."

"I swear James; I have no idea what you're talking about." Bella looked around frantically as James stalked towards her.

"That guy at the bar!" James made a move to slap her, but she was able to duck under his arm and around the kitchen table. She had just reached the living room couch when she felt herself being jerked back by her hair.

"You didn't think I would find out, did you? You thought everyone in this town was on your side, and they'd never tell an outsider like me, your sins. Sweet innocent Bella, poor orphan Bella."

James grabbed Bella's arm and dragged her the rest of the way through the living room and towards their bedroom. Bella's stomach began to churn.

"James I promise there's only you. There was no guy at the bar. I've never lied to you."

James glared at Bella as she spoke and smacked her hard across the face.

"LIAR! Jessica saw you! She saw that guy you ran to and hugged. You even gave him your fucking number! Vicky was there and saw it too!"

Jessica Newton had hated Bella since high school, when Mike asked Bella to the junior prom instead of Jessica. She wasn't as dumb as she played and knew what kind of man James was. Victoria, well, Victoria wanted James, and more times than once Bella was inclined to give him to her. Victoria had blown into this little town like a hurricane a few months after graduation. She had immediately latched onto Jessica, she was easy to control and dumb as a rock.

"Jacob! You mean Jacob?" Bella cried in desperation just as they reached the door to the bedroom. "That was Billy's son, Jacob! He had just gotten back into town from school. He graduated last week and was going on a road trip with one of his friends. I haven't seen him in almost two years, James! I've known him my whole life, you know that." Bella drew in a quick breath when James threw her onto the bed and held her there with a glare.

"Jacob? You mean your high school sweetheart? The one you screwed after senior prom? Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Bella instantly regretted her words. James' anger was rolling off him in waves. The air was thick with it, and she couldn't breathe. Something in her clicked, and she realized she had to get away. She flipped onto her knees and tried to crawl up the mattress. ' _The lamp. I just need to get to the lamp.'_

James grabbed her ankle and pulled her to the edge of the bed. Bella pulled at the sheets to get away while kicking out with her free leg, hoping to make contact. She was suddenly flipped onto her back, with James' body quickly on top of her. He fumbled with the waistband of her leggings as she silently cursed herself for not wearing jeans. Bella felt the cool air hit her thighs and heard the zipper of his jeans. She fought as hard as she could. Kicking, hitting. James only laughed.

"Bella stop fighting. I will take what's mine."

"NO!" Bella gasped out under James' weight. "Stop, please, not like this, don't do this."

James ripped her panties from her body then flipped her onto her stomach and shoved her face into the mattress. Bella couldn't breathe; she couldn't move. He had her hands painfully held behind her back with his other hand.

"Baby, why do you make me do these things? We were so happy. But you keep pushing me. Why won't you stop pushing me?" James asked with a hint of shame in his voice.

When he entered her, Bella felt something inside her shatter.

As Bella felt James moving in and out of her, his grunts of pleasure filling the air, Bella felt herself slipping away. She needed to protect her mind.

She thought of her mother. Her crazy, drunk mother and felt hatred towards her for the first time in her life. This was her fault. If she had pulled herself together for Bella, she would have never met James. She probably would have been in California with Jake, studying art. The logical side of Bella knew that no one was to blame, but it felt good to blame Renee. It felt good to put a face to her mistakes.

Bella felt his body tighten as he finished with a groan inside of her.

"Baby, Bella, I love you. Why can't you just let me love you?" James whispered in her ear as his weight disappeared from her body.

She heard James sigh as he left the bedroom and turned on the shower. Bella stayed perfectly still. The shower shut off and he shuffled back into the bedroom. He got dressed as if nothing had happened. She felt the bed sink as he sat down to put on his boots.

"Clean yourself up, I'm going back to Mike's," James kissed her temple, and she waited until she heard the door close to let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding.

Bella slowly pulled herself off the bed and made her way gingerly into the bathroom.

She did not allow herself a look in the mirror.

As the shower warmed, Bella undressed the rest of the way and stepped into the scalding hot water. Her pale skin immediately reddened under its spray. She scrubbed her body until she was sure she would bleed and the water had cooled.

She stepped out of the shower, combed her hair and brushed her teeth, making herself feel as though it was any other night after a shift at the bar. Bella took a step and was soon reminded that it wasn't, as the pain between her legs made itself evident. Her shoulders were sore, and she could see the bruises beginning to form around her wrists where James had held her.

She didn't bother to fix the sheets that her fists had pulled. Instead, she grabbed her pillows and walked into the living room. She lay on the couch and pulled the blanket from the back of it over her. There was complete silence as she focused on the sound of her breath.

A lone tear escaped her eye as she began to drift off. She prayed that sleep would come and she could wake up from this nightmare.

Three days, James had been gone three days.

The first day, after slowly dragging herself off the couch and taking another scalding hot shower, Bella finally allowed herself a glance in the mirror. The reflection that looked back at her was shocking. Pale, ivory skin with an angry purple hand mark against her cheek. Bella knew she wouldn't be able to go to work for a while until it went away. It would be impossible to lie about what had happened to her face. Her phone call with Billy was brief and rushed, telling him she had the flu and would be out all week. She could hear the skepticism in his voice, but he didn't push her, and for that, she was grateful. She spent the rest of the day on the couch.

When the bright morning sun of day two rolled into the living room window, Bella jumped off the couch with a start. She immediately stripped the bed sheets, throwing them into the washer on her way to the kitchen. She scrubbed every surface of the trailer that day. The ceiling, the floors, counters, tables, windows, doors. Everything that wasn't moving was scoured with baking soda and vinegar, a trick Sue had taught her. She fell into bed that night for the first time since James had left. She was sore and exhausted and slipped into a restless sleep.

And today, day three was by far the worst. She awoke before the sun was up and made her way to the kitchen where she made a cup of coffee. As she sat at the kitchen table and looked out the window, the cup of coffee in front of her long gone cold, she realized that James had won.

She had let him win.

The first six months of their relationship was the stuff of fairytales. He had rolled into the sleepy little town lighting it on fire. He was loud and fun and earned respect and love from all those he met. He had walked into that bar the first night like he owned the place and by the time Bella's shift was over she was already falling. His charm was unmatched by anyone she had ever met. She felt light and carefree.

James moved in after those first six months, and at first, Bella noticed no difference. He hadn't found a job yet and was still living off his savings, but every night when she came home from a long shift at the bar, he would be waiting for her with a smile on his face. He'd talk to her about her shift while he made her a sandwich and would insist on cleaning up their late night snack so she could shower.

She loved him. Plain and simple.

After a couple of months of living together, Bella noticed a shift in James. He started hanging out at Mike's more and was rarely there when she got home from the bar. The trailer was a mess, and he made no effort to help her. His savings dried up, and so did his charm.

The first time James hit her, Bella hit him back. They both froze, and she watched the anger fade away, and he came back to her. He apologized for a month; stopped drinking, was there every night when she got home and went back to being the man she had fallen fell in love with.

The second time James hit her, she left him. He came to Billy's bar begging for her forgiveness. She was able to stay away for two days before she finally gave in and went back.

The third time, he didn't even apologize. From that moment on, Bella had lost count of the times it had happened in the last nine months. She never stopped fighting back, even though she knew that made it worse. Her anger fueled his.

It felt like Bella had been taking care of herself her whole life. Her daddy, Charlie, had died when she was two and Renee had never been able to come back from that. She drank to numb the pain and before long, she drank to feel normal. Bella was strong. She never doubted that. Not until James.

James not only startedbegan to hit her, he slowly took everything that made Bella the person she was. She had started school at the local community college right before she met James. She was aware that eventually she'd have to go to a bigger school to complete her art degree but for the time being she had wanted to stay close to home. James constantly made fun of her degree. At first, it was just little digs here and there, but once he moved in, he bitched about it all the time. They didn't have the money for it, he'd say. Eventually, tired of fighting, Bella quit school.

Bella will never forget when she had told her best friend, Jacob. He was the only person she really talked to anymore. He was in California so he couldn't see her. She could fake it with him. They had gotten into a huge fight, and they both said things they regretted. She hadn't talked to him since.

Bella smiled to herself. Jacob had come into that bar Friday night on a mission. He walked right over to her and wrapped her up in a huge hug. She immediately started to cry, and Billy had rushed them both outside to have their reunion. She felt grounded again now that they had said their apologies.

Friday night was the first time James had ever raped her. Their sex life, though strained, didn't suffer from his abuse. Bella figured out early on that the more often she had sex with him, the less likely he was to hit her. Yell at her, always, hit her, seldom. She hated to be that girl, the girl who used sex to protect herself, but she was surviving. James had threatened her the last time she tried to leave him. He said he would hurt Billy, or Sue if she went running to them. She had nowhere else to go, so she stayed.

Bella was brought out of her train of thought by the gravel crunching in her driveway. She froze, rigid and scared. When she heard Jacob's voice, instead of feeling relieved, she felt fear and shame. She didn't want to let him in, but she should have known he would see her one way or another.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Edward sighed as he looked out the window of his best friend's truck. How he had let Jacob convince him to spend any of his summer in this Podunk town, he'll never really know. He missed California. And Edward didn't get what all the fuss was about. So some bartender had called in sick for a week, said she had the flu. Why Billy and Jacob both wanted to come running out to some trailer in the middle of nowhere, he didn't understand. When he voiced as much out loud, the glare Jacob sent in his direction would have made lesser men cower.

"She isn't some girl, Edward, this is Bella," Jacob said as he raced down the country roads towards Bella's home.

"THE Bella? High-school-love-turned-best-friend, Bella?" Edward asked with a smirk.

"Yes, and Billy said she sounded _off_. Bella never calls in. Even when she's sick, she comes to work, and Billy generally has to send her home." Jacob said with worry in his eyes.

Edward let it rest at that. He could tell Jacob was genuinely concerned. He was a great friend to Edward, who he'd only known for three years, so he could only imagine how much he cared about a girl he'd known his whole life.

As they pulled into the gravel drive of the old trailer, Jacob jumped out of the truck as he threw it into park. Edward wasn't sure if he was supposed to get out with him or stay, he decided he would get out and wait in case Jacob needed him.

Jacob was beating on the front door, but there seemed to be no response. The house was too quiet. The hair on the back of Edward's neck stood up.

Something wasn't right.

"Jacob, maybe she isn't home," Edward said as he came to stand behind his friend at the door.

"She's home, her truck is here, and since it's the only vehicle she and that shit for brains she calls a boyfriend own, I know she's home," Jacob said as he turned the knob. The door was unlocked and gave away easily.

Jacob entered slowly calling for Bella as he did. Jacob wasn't more than three steps in before he froze and turned to look at Edward. As Edward looked around the doorframe, he saw the saddest sight he had ever seen. Sitting at the small kitchen table was a tiny wisp of a woman. She had beautiful, long brown hair, with the faintest red highlights throughout. He couldn't see her face; it was turned toward the small window above the sink. She had on a simple black tank top and jean capris. As he looked over her body, his stomach rolled. There were angry purple bruises up and down her left arm. As Jacob and Edward edged closer, Edward could make out distinct hand prints in those bruises.

"Bells, honey, will you look at me please?" Jacob asked barely above a whisper.

"Jake, you can't be here," Bella replied her voice hoarse and weak.

"I'm not leaving until I know you're okay, please look at me."

As Bella turned her head toward the two men, Jacob gasped as Edward inhaled a breath. Across the most beautiful face Edward had ever seen was a large purple bruise, similar to those on her arms.

"Bells..." Jacob said with pain in his voice.

"I'm fine. Just go." Her eyes were dead and empty. Edward had always heard the saying 'folded in on themselves,' but he had never understood it until he saw the girl in front of him. Her shoulders were caved and turned slightly inward. It looked as though there was a weight pushing against her chest.

Jacob walked to the table and pulled out the only other chair across from her.

"You aren't fine. Look at your face! How long Bella? How long?!" Jacob's voice got angrier as he spoke. Each word made Bella flinch a little more. When he yelled the last question, she shrank even more in her seat.

Edward placed a hand on Jacob's shoulder.

"Calm down Jake, take a walk if you have to. I'll sit with her."

"I just, I'm sorry Bells, I didn't mean to yell. I'm not mad at you, but I need to know." Jacob's pleading eyes were met with pools of brown.

"Jessica Newton," Bella said with a sneer. "She saw us on Friday at the bar. She didn't recognize you and went running home to Mike and James. Told them I was all over some guy. James was angry. I explained. Everything is fine." Bella said with a dead tone to her voice.

"Bella, I don't care if I had sex with you on the bar in front of the whole damn town. Hitting you? Never okay." Jacob said. His voice still holding a hint of anger.

"Jake, please, just go. You can't be here. James hasn't come home since Friday night. It's been three days. I'm sure he'll be back soon and you being here will just make things worse. Just. Go."

Jacob's heart broke as he looked into the deep brown eyes he had come to know so well. Bella's eyes always gave her away. They were more expressive than any he had ever seen, but when he looked into them now, he saw nothing. Gone was the spark he loved so much. Bella's fire had been put out, and he wasn't going to let the bastard get away with it.

"Nope. I'm not leaving you here with that asshole one more day. So the way I see it you have three choices. You can get up, pack some bags, and walk to my truck calmly and willingly, or I will pack you a bag myself and carry you out of here. Or the final choice, one that I am particularly fond of, I'm going to sit right here with you until James gets home and then he and I are going to have a little chat." Jacob said. The whole time not breaking eye contact with Bella.

"No Jacob. I'm not going anywhere. This is my home. Just leave. I can handle myself." Bella's voice was raised a couple of octaves as she said this. Jacob smiled _. 'Atta girl, get mad. Fight back.'_

"Well I'm sorry, but that wasn't one of the choices I gave you. Edward, will you sit with Bella while I go pack her some things? I guess she wants to do this the hard way." Edward looked unsure as he sat down in the chair that Jacob had just vacated.

Bella sprung up out of the seat like her ass was on fire.

"Jacob Black, if you don't get out of my fucking house right now, I will not hesitate to get Daddy's old gun and shoot you."

Jacob turned on his heel and laughed at the sight in front of him. Edward's wide eyes looked on at this exchange. ' _What is Jacob doing? This girl has obviously been traumatized. He should be careful with her.'_ He thought. He slowly rose from his chair, angling his body towards Bella's _._

"I swear to God, Jake. Get. Out. Of. My. House." Each word Bella spoke was met with a step until she was a foot away from her large friend.

Jacob looked down to Bella. He towered over her. After high school, he had gone to California in hopes of finding his dream. He wasn't sure what his dream was when he left, but he knew that staying in this small town would slowly kill him. It took a week in the gym with his new buddy, Emmett before he realized that he loved everything about fitness. He loved the weights, he loved the running, he loved the feeling of a good workout. He quickly changed his major from General Studies to Health and Physical Fitness, and he never looked back. He was big. He could easily throw Bella over his shoulder, but he really didn't want to that. He wanted her to _want_ to leave.

"Bells, I'm sorry, but I am NOT leaving you here with that bastard. So you can either let me kick his ass, or you can come with me. It's your choice. But, even if I kick his ass, you're still not staying here with him."

Bella's anger was starting to ebb. Edward could see the sadness overcoming her as she looked into the loving eyes of her best friend. Before Edward knew what was happening, Bella hauled off and smacked Jacob's rock hard chest. Jacob's eyes grew wide with surprise.

"I hate you, Jacob Black, I hate you! Get out! Leave me alone!" Bella screamed as she continued to smack and punch his chest. Jacob never flinched. Never made a move to stop her. He looked over her head to Edward with pain and sadness in his eyes.

Just as quickly as her outburst started, it stopped as she sank to the floor. Jacob looked at her for a second before he was on the ground holding her. She sobbed silently as her body shook. Edward was afraid she would pass out if she didn't take a breath.

"I love you Bells, I love you, and I won't let that son of a bitch hurt you anymore. Billy knows. Billy has known for a long time, but he was waiting for you to go to him. That's why I came home. I came home to take you far, far, away from James. I'm your out, Bella." Jacob rubbed her back as he spoke softly to her.

Bella looked at him with wide eyes and just cried harder. Edward had no idea why Jacob was so adamant about coming back to his hometown a soon as graduation was over.

"I'm so tired, Jake. I'm just so tired. I fought him ... but he was too strong. I let him win."

"No Bella, no. I don't want you to ever say that. You didn't let him win." Jacob reassured the girl in his arms.

As her crying slowed, Edward noticed the bruise on her hip from where she was sitting. Her jeans were much too large for her, and it looked very much like another hand print. His stomach rolled. _'What else did he do to her?'_ Even as he thought it, he realized he didn't really want to know.

Jacob was able to get Bella up and onto the couch. Her breathing had returned to normal, but tears were still rolling down her face.

After she'd had a while to get herself together, Jacob spoke again. "Bells, do you want to pack a bag or do you want me to do it for you?"

"I'll do it, Jake. Just give me a minute," Bella sighed as she got off the couch and walked gingerly across the living room before disappearing into her bedroom.

Jacob looked at Edward with anger in his eyes; his hands in fists against his side.

"I swear to God, Edward, if I ever see James Hunter again I'll kill him."

Jacob stormed past Edward and out the door. Edward sighed as he watched his best friend pace outside the living room window. He wasn't sure what Jacob's plan was, but it obviously included getting Bella out of his hometown. He assumed she was coming back to California with them.

Edward had just sat on the couch when Bella emerged from the bedroom. She was carrying two bags and a large purse. He jumped up and crossed the room to take them from her.

For the first time since Jacob and his friend had arrived, Bella really looked at the stranger in her house. He was beautiful. He had the greenest eyes she had ever seen and a head full of gorgeous auburn hair. She felt slightly embarrassed for staring but couldn't bring herself to look away.

"I'm Edward. Jake's roommate in California."

"Bella. Jake's..." Bella paused. How much had Jacob told Edward about their past? How do you describe someone that means so much in just a few words?

Edward smiled softly at her.

"I know." That's all he said; as if he could read her mind. Bella smiled back and allowed him to take her bags. They walked toward the door.

"Should I leave him a note?" Bella asked Edward's back.

"Um...I mean if you want to. I just wouldn't say where you're going." Edward replied. The woman standing in front of him looked so lost.

"Where _am_ I going?" Bella asked.

"Oh, Um, I guess you're coming back to California with us."

"Okay. Just….give me a minute?" Bella's eyes were already filling with tears.

"Sure. We'll just be outside." Edward exited the house, giving Bella her space.

Bella looked around the small trailer. The tears she had been trying to hold back finally slipped from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. She had lived in this trailer her whole life. It was the last piece connecting her to her father; a man she missed dearly; a man she didn't get enough time with.

Bella wrote a note and stuck it to the fridge. _'James, you hurt me for the last time. I'm not sure I can ever forgive you, but I know I'll never forget.'_

Bella stepped outside and looked down at her best friend. He smiled up at her as she turned and closed the door. She wasn't sure where she was going or what would happen in the days to follow, but for the first time in many months, Bella took a breath and found it wasn't so hard to do.

She just might be okay after all.


	3. Chapter 3

After a LOOOONG hiatus, I've decided to pick this story back up!

In order to do that, I need a beta...and someone to read over the chapters before I send them to a beta…

Any volunteers?

I have the next chapter written and ready to edit!

Let me know if I have any takers…

Please and thank you!


End file.
